Angelic Iridescence
by candified.smile
Summary: A Pariah girl. A chivalrous Prince. A meeting written in the stars. A love story transcending their social chasm. Can you resist their magic? (This is a rewrite of the previous story under the same title) AU. Takari, Koumi.
1. Light At The End of the Tunnel

**_Note: Hello. (: _**

**_I really have no excuses for taking this long, but just know that I've been trying to make this as perfect as I can and that's going to take time. So I'm really sorry, but I hope you guys enjoy the rewrite (:_**

* * *

**_Once upon a time, a floating fortress hung in the sky_****…**

She was a Pariah.

Hikari was born with a small birthmark on the inside of her wrist. All the people of her race were. The birthmarks seemed to be a symbol of some sort, and they were always different, but it didn't matter to Them what the symbol meant, or the unique quality of it. All that mattered was that it marked the Pariah as outsiders, aberrations, slaves. In other words, the Pariah.

The cycle of slavery was impossible to break. The children of Pariah would invariably be born with the Mark.

Right from the very beginning, those born with the Mark had been associated with minor magic capabilities. Not understanding how the magic worked and fearing the unknown, their ancestors were ostracized and eventually, were overthrown and the magic of their people was lost from lack of use. Thus began the enslavement and so it went on for thousands of years, this unbreakable slavery contract. Precious few were excepted from this iron law.

Pariah had a different upbringing than the average Citizen. The Centre was a school, but those who had lost their parents to overbearing masters could stay in the Centre so it served as an orphanage as well. Because of their Pariah status, certain privileges taken for granted by the Citizens weren't granted to them. The very idea of Pariah citizenship was a foreign concept.

Hikari grew up with the other Pariah, in the Centre, where she was educated in all the gentle arts such as cooking and sewing, because as a girl, it was highly likely that her future assignment would be that of a kitchen maid or serving girl. At least, that's the best she could possibly hope for. Most Pariah boys had it harder. They were entrusted with back-breaking labour, and worked from dawn to dusk, regardless of the unforgiving weather. They froze in winter and burned in the summer. At least in the kitchens, the Pariah couldn't freeze to death.

Even so, the future was uncertain. There were a few roads following a Pariah's release from the Centre. They could be taken in by wealthy families, becoming either a personal servant or one bound to the household. Those left unchosen would be taken in by the palace.

It could be so much worse. Hikari shuddered as dark images flooded her mind. Pariah thrown out of their master's homes, their bodies maimed and their spirits broken. She grimaced at the ice-cold chill that ran down her back. Yes, it could be much worse.

Basic defence skills were also taught at the Centre. In the unlikely event that defending their masters would become a necessity, Pariah girls were trained alongside the boys to handle weaponry from a young age. Even as Hikari proved herself adept with a sword and in archery, she was ingrained with the notion that if an enemy posed as a danger to her master, her body would invariably be the ultimate shield between her master and certain death.

To that, Hikari had her doubts. She often wondered if she would really be able to stand in the face of another's death and force an end to her own life. She could never imagine the want, no, the _need_ to protect another at the cost of her own. She prayed that such a day would never come.

Today was one that would make or break Hikari's future.

The announcer would read from her black tablet the Pariah identification codes, and they would receive a roughly sewn bag filled with two new sets of standard Pariah attire, a small canteen of water, and as a special treat, a small piece of freshly baked honey bread wrapped in plastic. The bun would be a sort of prayer, a small piece of hope from the Centre that their masters would at least be civil, if not kind.

And if they weren't… When her thoughts reached this juncture, Hikari sighed. There was nothing anyone could do. After all, Pariah were not legally Citizens, and their lives were disposable to the rich and haughty.

Today would be Hikari's attachment, along with the rest of the sixteen-year-old Pariahs in the Centre. She awoke early in the long room she shared with thirteen others, feeling slightly wild and emotional. She hadn't had a decent shuteye all night. Her bed sheets were twisted and damp with sweat, soaked by a night of haunting dreams and disconcerting visions of dark oceans and eerie forests.

A deep unease replaced the fright. Her heartbeat slowed, but her mind raced on ahead. _I guess the bravado I'd shown yesterday had really only been a brave front_, she thought, her anxious, frantic mind racing through the spare moments of the past week where her mind had wandered into indefinite futures. Truth was, like everyone else, Hikari was scared.

All week long she'd tried to hide it, she really did. But as she stared at her thin clothes dampened by sweat and the memory of her anguished night still etched vividly in her mind, she realised she hadn't even managed to fool herself.

In the dim hours before dawn, she finally broke down. With the darkness as her shroud, she pulled her knees close to her chest, leaned her forehead down, and wept for her unknown destiny.

* * *

She remembered when she first held a sword.

She was five years old. After months of swinging light wooden swords about in the tattered backyard of the Centre, most of the Pariah children were impatient to be upgraded to the advanced class. As much as the society didn't care for individual Pariah lives, they were obliged to ensure that they could protect their masters.

The bustling Headmaster of the Centre entered with ten subservient Pariah behind him, each holding a plain wooden box. When he reached the front podium, the Headmaster unfurled a tight parchment scroll and began to read from it. It was written in elegant, florid language, and Hikari's attention had begun to disperse when her five-year-old mind grew incapable of absorbing much of what he read. The only thing she gathered from his speech was that the council had consolidated those "worthy and ready" to receive their swords and those chosen would be receiving those swords that very day.

A burst of adrenaline trembled through her body as she began to quiver with anticipation. A single notion dominated her thoughts: Eons of Pariah before her had heard this speech and received their swords. She clenched her fists into little nervous balls as she waited expectantly, praying with all her heart that she would be of the chosen children.

The chosen children would be called up to the front podium and would receive their swords one by one. Hikari bit her lip nervously and grew desperate as Headmaster neared the end of his scroll.

"Yagami Hikari."

A small yelp of excitement escaped her lips. She clapped her hand over her mouth as the Headmaster glared disapprovingly in her general direction. She took a deep breath and tried her best to compose herself. However great the honour of receiving her very own sword was, Hikari knew, even at the tender age of five, that she could not afford to breach propriety. It was the only thing that kept her alive, and not ruthlessly left to be trampled on the streets outside.

She hauled herself up the steps to the podium carefully, trying her best not to trip on the wide steps while not wanting to keep the Headmaster waiting. As she stepped up onto the podium, one of the servant Pariah stepped up as well with her wooden box. Her head was bowed low in reverence and she stopped just behind the Headmaster. Unable to contain her excitement, Hikari inched over slightly to peek and the woman gave her a small smile, unseen by the Headmaster, before she unlatched the box. The Headmaster turned when he heard the click and reach out to push the case open.

Hikari gaped at the subtle shimmer of the sword that had been chosen for her as it lay quietly in its case. It was made of an extremely durable crystal unique to Caldicon. Thus, like all the other crystal swords meant for Pariah girls, it was cheap, yet Hikari knew that it would slice through steel as gracefully as if it were water.

Where light hit the sword, it gave off a silvery blue hue in the shade as the night sky, and its hilt was modestly decorated with opal shards. This sword was hers. _My sword_, Hikari thought to herself repeatedly. She knew it would stay with her for life, and her life force would be chained to it during the special initiation ceremony. It would grow in power as she became stronger, but would similarly be reduced to cheap plastic if she were to die.

She knelt down on clumsy knees and raised her arms to receive the sword. The Headmaster placed it ceremoniously into her hands. Her weak arms nearly yielded; the heavy crystal sword was too much for the five-year-old. The sword began to pulse as the Headmaster chanted the binding contract, and Hikari saw what no one else did.

Runes flew and circled her, casting a mysterious pink light. A gasp escaped her as she was gently embraced by the rose-tinted light. The Headmaster showed no sign of acknowledgement at the irregular phenomenon in front of him. Immediately, Hikari could feel the warm, warm touch of the new bond in her chest, and the safe, safe feeling as the sword was bound to protect her. When he reached the last words, the sword stopped its pulsing, and became lighter in her hands. It was now the perfect weight for her, of course.

Afterwards was the chosen children's first practice session with the new swords. They'd already had some practice with a wooden sword before, of course. But in Hikari's arms was a strong, sturdy sword. _A real sword._ The dark blue blade glinted in the evening sun with a silvery gleam.

Her first attempts to swing the treasured blade didn't go too well. Concentrating all her energy into the sword, she swung it hard, only to see no effect whatsoever. Frustrated, she kept up the trying swings. With each swing she felt a pull within her. Each time she resisted the unfamiliar pull, she felt her energy snap. By the time they were done, perspiration ran down her back, but she had only managed some weak cuts through the air. The sword was still unconvinced by its new ownership. The attacks had no soul. They would do no real damage.

Hikari smiled as she remembered this encounter, and patted the now ten-year-old sword next to her. Reminiscing gave her some comfort, as even though she was all alone; there would always be that precious sword. The sword that almost seemed to pulsate with life of its own as it began to glow subtly, warmly, resonating with its owner's thoughts. She wiped the tears from her eyes and thought, _No, I am not alone._

With this newly ascertained fact, Hikari wiped the last of the tears from her eyes. She quickly folded her blankets and changed into her day clothes, ready to face the day.

* * *

They walked in a single file down a long dark corridor to the Sorting Room with a warm belly of food, a first for everyone. It was customary on the Sorting Day that the Pariahs to be Attached would have a full breakfast. It would be the whole deal – eggs, ham, toast, milk. They had to work their hardest on their first day. No refunds.

It was ironic though, because on this one day where they could feast to their fill, few could feel the appetite for it. They ate nevertheless. Who knew where or when their next meal would be? Hikari voiced it to Miyako, her bunkmate and best friend. She just shrugged and said vaguely, "Still, it feels like a new beginning, don't you think?" She gave her an unconvincing half-smile. Miyako was battling nervous demons of her own.

Hikari took a deep breath and tried to keep an open mind. She bit her lip and kept her thoughts to herself. She knew she couldn't burden Miyako with more problems now.

As they continued down the corridor to the dingy lit room, they were abruptly stopped. The low, deep voice of the Headmaster boomed down the corridor.

"30340392, Yagami Hikari?"

Hikari's heart stopped in her chest. Her entire being was thrown into panic mode. _Why am I being singled out like this? Did I fail the Attachment tests? Did I do something wrong?_

"30340392, Yagami Hikari."

The command in his voice was unmistakable now. It reverberated around the stony walls. Hikari raised her hand shakily, and the Headmaster motioned to one of the guards flanking him to pull her out of the line. Once Hikari was brought to his side, the Headmaster stepped aside and waved the rest of the queue on. Miyako gave Hikari a worried glance as she passed her. Hikari tried to give her a smile to reassure her but even she could tell that it was a feeble attempt.

Wrongdoings in the Centre were punishable by anything, the most common being whipping, caning, etc. Death sentences weren't uncommon either. But something seemed strange here. Usually those singled out to be punished were publically shamed as their sins were flung verbally back at them in the Headmaster's booming voice. Their whipping was usually a public affair, with four to five Pariahs at the town whipping post at one time. It sort of served as a reminder to the Citizens that they managed to conquer the unknown.

Hikari followed the Headmaster down another corridor, where it was lit by wall torches powered by fire gems. The warm light was usually a welcome sight, and Hikari had always loved them. Today, however, the light was just an unwelcome distraction.

Usually the passageways that the Pariahs here were used to were the dimly lit ones. It wasn't much of a problem because they were so familiar to the passageways and rooms, not to mention used to the dark. As it was, the fire gems, though welcoming in their soft orange glow, were like daggers to Hikari's eyes. They stopped in front of a glass door. The Headmaster began fumbling through his pockets for his key card to open the door. Through the frosted glass, Hikari could tell that there were at least two people in there.

The door slid soundlessly open, and a breath of cool air washed over Hikari. She badly wanted to reach up and chafe her arms to keep warm, but she kept them stiffly at her side. Whatever trouble she was in, it wasn't of the ordinary variety, and she didn't want to make it worse with any unnecessary actions.

As her eyes adjusted, Hikari realized that the room was lit by cool blue light crisscrossing warm pale orange. Water gems and fire gems. The effect added more decorative purpose to the otherwise plain walls of the round room. It was a simple discussion room with some maroon chintz armchairs and couches and a glass coffee table in the middle. One of the two men she had seen was seated at the table, while the other stood by his side. While both men were dressed rather extravagantly, the seated man was clearly of a higher position.

The Headmaster moved, and as he did he placed a firm hand on the girl's back and nudged her forward with him. As he sat down in the armchair across the men, Hikari stood behind him, hanging her head in respectful silence.

When the man spoke, it was with warm candour that he said, "Yagami Hikari-san? Could you look up, please?"

It was a request, not a demand.

Hikari was confused. The man was unbelievably polite to her despite her status. She raised her head in curiosity and compliance, but promptly looked down again when her humble brown eyes met the man's shocking blue ones. Sudden warmth crept through her body, and she was suddenly shy. There was something else. A sharp pang in resonated in her chest. A flopping twist in her stomach. A hot, tickling sensation ran along her wrist. But this man, obviously a Citizen, was telling, _no_, asking her to look up, and Hikari knew she couldn't refuse. She tried again.

The man was dressed in an emerald green tailcoat with a wide collar with gold trimmings. Lace edged his flared sleeves and intricate gold designs bordered his coat. Under the coat was a matching waistcoat and a silken white shirt with a ruffled front. He was clearly an aristocrat. The green closely complimented his blond hair. On closer inspection, the man was not really as old as his flamboyant clothing made him out to be. In fact, he seemed about sixteen. _My age_.

Yet, what a world of difference.

During this observation, he smiled. The smile was most definitely meant for Hikari. Somehow, it greatly reassured her, and warmed her up from the inside. Unused to the attention from Citizens, she felt her cheeks flush and ducked her head immediately, hiding behind the shaggy brown hair that framed her face.

The conversation between the Headmaster and the aristocrat was long and rather boring. Now that her future seemed secure with the kindly boy, her mind slackened in concentration. Hikari tried to pay attention but her sleepy mind soon drifted off. The excerpts of conversation that she did manage to glean seem to place her in the ownership of this boy following a contract of some sort. Some money changed hands and after they stood up and shook hands, the Headmaster gave her a slight push from behind towards the boy in the emerald green jacket.

* * *

**_Hikari_**

After the meeting in the small room, a small duffel bag was handed to Hikari and she was led by Greencoated man and his follower to a carriage outside. The sudden daylight stung her eyes.

If Hikari had had any doubts about my new master's financial ability, they would have been blown right away to the wind when she saw the carriage sitting quietly by the roadside. The carriage was blond wood, polished and glossed till it shimmered where the morning sunlight caressed it. Rich tapestry peeked out from the sliver-glided windows. Hikari stood breathless in front of the beautiful piece of workmanship, marveling at its quiet magnificence.

"My my, Takeru-sama, I think she likes it."

A soft chuckle. "Yes I think so too." A flash of green, and in the next moment, 'Takeru' was by her side. She was startled by his sudden appearance, but he smiled kindly, easing her shock instantly. There was something about his smile that calmed her.

"A good thing too, because this is my favourite carriage," he said casually.

The other man scoffed. "You have no taste. The dark blue one with the fiery stripes shows way more spirit," he said.

"Yeah, not to mention it's ostentatious, but _hey_, that's just like you, Daisuke."

An indignant snort. "It's classy."

"It's flashy."

Takeru placed a hand on her shoulder and gently wheeled her out of the way as the other man pulled open the carriage door. Hikari flinched from the unfamiliar touch, but he hadn't seemed to notice, or he just chose to ignore it. She knew she couldn't afford to offend her new hosts. Instead, she composed herself and leaned slightly into the touch, just barely, just enough to lift the prior offense but not enough to be overly-familiar. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw 'Daisuke' stick his tongue out at Takeru.

Takeru took an easy step up into the carriage, then bent down slightly with his hand extended towards Hikari. She was confused. Was she to take that hand? She was beginning to feel overwhelmed. It went against everything she'd learnt at the Centre. Pariahs weren't supposed to be treated so gently and kindly, and in this case, like a lady even.

Was he doing this for the sake of the people around watching? Maybe once out of the public eye, he would be cold and unfeeling. Yes, that had to be it. She remembered that reputation was of extreme importance to one's respectability. In that case, should she be cooperating with him? It was obvious that the suspense was beginning to draw attention around them, not to mention that it would be rude and disrespectful to reject…

The frequent and sincere smile on his face was a deterrent to her theory, but Hikari chose to dismiss it as a habitual gesture, and not a certainty of kindness.

She took a deep breath, and placed her hand in his. His hand was warm and soft, and unexpectedly, slightly calloused. Overall, it was rather reassuring, tearing her theory to bits altogether. She rested her weight in his palm for a moment before hoisting herself up into the carriage.

She could almost feel his smile growing wider.

He made sure Hikari was comfortably seated before he took a seat opposite her. She was glad that he didn't take the seat beside her. The distance gave her more breathing room. The other man let himself into the carriage as well, then closed the door and rapped the wall behind him. The carriage took a slight surge, then plodded steadily on.

The man had taken a seat next to Takeru, which seemed rather strange for a manservant. Moreover, they were joking and happily chatting away. They could almost be brothers.

Meanwhile, Hikari began to observe. The other man had dark messy hair and was in a more subtle suit than Takeru's. He was decked out in dark blue, accented in white. A ruffled white shirt peeked out from the blue. He seemed to be slightly older than Takeru. His name was Daisuke, repeated a few times throughout the course their conversation, and once out of the public eye, he addressed Takeru without any honorifics.

_Oh I give up._ These two just didn't make any sense.

The carriage plodded on. A combination of a restless night and the smooth clattering of the carriage soon put her straight to sleep.

* * *

**_Takeru_**

Takeru didn't know what to say. So he said nothing. Just let her have some space, some time to herself to sort this new Attachment out. After all, all this was probably overwhelming her. So when they got into the carriage, Takeru let her make herself comfortable, and just kept up a running conversation with Daisuke in the mean time. Hopefully she'd be able to relax, knowing that the conversation wasn't focused on her.

She sat just opposite him in the carriage, barely an arm's length away. Her clothes were standard Pariah attire, grey and tattered, and she was covered in dust. It was no wonder too, because from what he knew of the Centre, most of it was underground. It was obvious that she'd made an effort to stay clean though. Her hands and face were clearly cleaner than the rest of her.

Amidst the cropped brown hair, her face was small and thin. But it was undeniably pretty, with long dark lashes around her russet-coloured eyes and rose petal cheeks. Everything about her just about screamed innocence. Even more so at this very moment with her head leaning again the cushioned sides of the carriage, the veil of sleep hanging her. She seemed much younger than she did a while ago, when she was guarded against a stranger. She had to be tired. She couldn't have slept well the night before, if the dark circles around her eyes were of any indication.

He watched her sleep even as he kept up a running conversation with Daisuke. He couldn't believe that she was right there in front of him. Takeru couldn't bring himself to take his eyes away from her. He feared that if he looked away, she might disappear, and he may never see her again. An irrational thought, he knew, but nonetheless, it occupied a prominent place at the foremost of his mind.

After a while Daisuke snickered, and Takeru turned to look at him quizzically.

"You told me to keep chitter-chattering with you, but you stopped responding because you're just watching her!"

Takeru was surprised. "I did?"

Daisuke just stared at him. "Yes buddy, you did. You stopped responding five minutes ago," he said. "You really didn't notice?" Takeru shook his head. Daisuke stared at him for a moment.

"The great Takeru-sama has been enthralled by a pretty girl at long last!" With that, Daisuke just about exploded into laughter. Hikari stirred slightly in her sleep. Takeru immediately clapped a hand over Daisuke's mouth and said, "Quiet, you idiot! She'll wake up!"

Daisuke's eyes were beginning to water from trying to contain his laughter. Just as a precautionary measure, he held his hand there until his laughter subsided. When Takeru removed his hand, he wiped it playfully across Daisuke's dark blue jacket. "You're like a dog, Daisuke! Drooling over everything!"

"Hey I don't! That was clearly water vapour. Do you even pay attention in Professor Joe's classes?"

Takeru laughed quietly. "And where does the 'water' come from?" Daisuke stopped and stared at me. I laughed and said "Saliva! It comes from your saliva! So effectively, you're still a drooling idiot!"

"No I'm not!"

"Yes you are."'

"No I'm not!"

"Yes you are."

...And so the banter continued to flow.

Takeru smiled to himself. Daisuke was too easy.

Takeru allowed his train of thought fall back to Yagami Hikari. Back in the meeting room, he'd seen how she'd averted her eyes. He'd been confused at the beginning, as soon as he realised that she didn't know him. She might've lost the memories of their earlier encounters. Though worrying, Takeru decided to shelve it. It was difficult to gauge what might've happened to her in the ten years that they'd spent apart.

Takeru fingered the starchy collar of his formal jacket, pulled the bowtie out from its former neat knot. He supposed the fancy clothes might have startled her a little. He wouldn't have bothered with the formal jacket if he could, and the ruffled shirt was unbearably uncomfortable, but people had expectations. The Headmaster wouldn't have given in as easily otherwise. _Clothes maketh the man_, Lesson Number One, Aristocrat studies, he mused, as he continued to watch her sleeping face.

Innate shyness may have had a part to play as well. She probably didn't have much contact with the outside world. But her intrinsic tenacity took over, as she continued to struggle to maintain eye contact with him. The ghost of a smile tugged at Takeru's lips. He couldn't help but find that endearing.

Takeru settled back in his seat. Undeniably, she was the girl from his dreams. It wasn't difficult to find her, especially since he had glimpsed her Pariah mark in hisdream. The girl seated opposite him had her wrist flipped outwards as she slept, and her crest resembled a flower, with a round center and sharp petals pointing outwards.

It was as though his dream had crossed into reality. Takeru knew this was the girl from the prophecy. The girl he had been waiting for all his life. This was the girl with the crest of Light. Hikari.


	2. Quicksilver

**_Yeah I know, sorry. So i shan't talk too much and uh, review if you can! (:_**

* * *

**_Takeru_**

"Hikari-san, Hikari-san?" Takeru said, giving her a little shake, trying his best to be firm but gentle. Her shoulder felt thin and frail. He could scarcely grip it without feeling like it would shatter like glass in his hands.

_We'll have to fix that,_ he thought grimly.

When she didn't respond, Takeru nudged her a little harder, but she only murmured incoherently and continued to take deep, even breaths. Takeru took this to mean that he had failed.

_Well, I tried._ He sighed and leant back in his seat, gesturing to Daisuke to go ahead with his Wake Up Call of Terror. There was a ceramic box built-in into the carriage and when Daisuke opened it, cool aquamarine-tinted air drifted out.

Daisuke pulled out a canteen of water, chilled by the special quality of the aquamarine gems. "The beauty of the plan," he said, grinning from ear to ear. "would be the slow, antagonising seep of icy coldness." Takeru rolled his eyes and readied his hands over his ears as Daisuke began to fill a thin, translucent bag with the water. He pondered over it for little bit before a devious grin spread across his face and he dropped some chunks of ice from a tray in the cooler. Takeru shuddered, having fallen prey to his prank calls many a sleepy morning. A slow grin spread across his face. He quite liked the idea that Yagami Hikari was similar in some ways to him.

With a mock stern expression, Daisuke ceremoniously laid the impromptu ice pack carefully on the sleeping girl's stomach, before quickly retreating back to his seat and covering his own ears.

Hikari shifted uncomfortably. Daisuke began his countdown, raising first three fingers then two and one, and finally closing his fist to a heart-stopping zero.

Her voice rose in an ear-piercing scream. The carriage jerked slightly, and Takeru guessed that the carriage driver had been alarmed. At their simultaneous burst into laughter, the carriage plodded once more.

Hikari's expression was one of absolute bewilderment and shock. She'd shoved the ice pack onto the floor when she screamed and now stood on the seat with her knees cradled to her chest. Takeru knew he shouldn't laugh at her distress, but he had never seen anything as funny as the expression on Hikari's face.

…Until she regained her senses and turned to glare at the two. Takeru quickly raised his hands in front of him, palms facing out in surrender and acquittal, and nodded towards Daisuke, who was laughing so hard his eyes were squeezed shut and tears running down his cheeks.

She took a hard glance at Takeru in his defensive pose before she decided that while he could have been complicit in the prank, he was not the mastermind. The still-laughing Daisuke was better evidence than anything. Unbeknownst to the guffawing Daisuke, he quietly picked up the fallen ice pack from the floor and held it out to her. She considered the peace offering in his hand before accepting it.

She weighed it in her palm for a moment. Her eyes, merely thoughtful before, took on a serious expression. With neat, concise movements, flung the ice pack at Daisuke with all her might.

_ Well, I didn't think she'd actually do it._ Takeru smiled.

The girl was no weak damsel.

Unfortunately for her, though, Daisuke's reflexes were legendary. He managed to catch the ice pack just before it hit his face. But the force at which she hurled the pack caused it to explode anyway, leaving water dripping down Daisuke's shirt and covered in pieces of ice. His hair dripped water. It took just one look at his face to set Takeru off again.

It was a look of absolute disbelief. It was nice that Daisuke managed to catch a taste of his own medicine once in a while.

A higher-pitched laughter joined his. She was laughing! Relaxed; the earlier tension somehow rolled out of her tight shoulders. Good old Daisuke had somehow managed to break a little of the tension and distrust.

Daisuke looked about the carriage, first at Hikari, then at Takeru. His momentary loss for words just made them laugh even harder. Then finally, in a burst of his sudden recoveries, he decided on a smile. He held out his hand to Hikari.

"Hello, I'm Motomiya Daisuke," he paused, a cheeky smile spread across his face. "And someday you'll learn the meaning of _payback_."

She wiped her eyes with her dusty shirt sleeve before holding out her hand to him as well. "Yagami Hikari, but you already knew that." She smiled. "And I think you just learnt that yourself."

The difference a smile could make was amazing. One no longer noticed the starved planes of her face, but instead saw her sparkling red-brown eyes and dimpled cheeks. She really was beautiful.

Daisuke gave Takeru a nudge. He snapped out of his daze and realised that red-brown eyes were locked on his, awaiting an introduction. He sighed, dreading the inevitable.

_I really hope she can handle this._ Her unsuspecting smile waited, and Takeru cursed silently that he had to be the one to pull that hard-earned smile from her face.

Formally, he extended his hand, and when she slipped her small cool hand into his. He grasped it lightly in a handshake and said, "I'm Takaishi Takeru," and promptly took a moment to brace himself.

She sensed the pregnant pause and waited patiently, expectantly. Curiously, she showed no recognition of the name. He forged on warily, "also known as the second Prince of Caldicon." He raised her hand, still caught in his, and pressed his lips gently to the back of his hand, as was the custom.

He hoped that she wouldn't feel the current that set his skin on fire from the light touch.

* * *

**_Hikari_**

The mood shift in the carriage was almost palpable. The cold water prank had left Hikari in a jubilant, carefree mood, and she could see similar echoes of her sudden light-heartedness on their faces.

Perhaps hers had more to do with the sudden release of pressure, which had been washed away in gales of laughter. She felt the tight knot in her stomach loosen some, and she gulped in easily the air that her previously closed throat had barred her from.

Maybe these two were just the sons of wealthy men in the village and needed attendants to show off their status. It was common enough.

Although suspicion still pestered her, her instincts pushed it to the recesses of her mind. These two boys her own age just couldn't be the evil Pariah-owners that she had always heard about. Maybe, she reasoned, there were just as many cases of Pariah with good masters as the bad ones. Maybe the bad stories just made it further to the Centre to scare Pariah children, while the good ones were actually the norm.

Hikari knew nothing of the outside world, and the world within the Centre had left her jaded and wary, but she was born with an inner optimism that defied logic. She was essentially someone who followed her instincts and feelings, no matter how extraordinary her actions thus turned out.

When Takeru reached his hand out to her in a gesture of universal camaraderie, she smiled easily and took it willingly. She knew genuine friendship when she saw it, and it was there, elucidated in his clear blue eyes.

He gripped her hand lightly. His deep blue eyes held hers. She knew he wasn't finished. Hikari braced herself for his title. _Knight? Duke? Baron?_

"also known as the second prince of Caldicon."

She froze. _The Prince? Of the entire country?_

He lowered his head and touched his lips gently to the back of her fingers. Hikari snatched her hand back, feeling heat rush to her face, an indication of the pink that surely tinted her cheeks now. She cradled her hand to her chest, and stared at him in blatant disbelief.

He sat back in his seat, although his feet were still firmly planted on the carriage floor. He was obviously tensed and awaiting her response. Hikari tried to recollect her thoughts, blown away to a million pieces by his announcement. She took a deep breath and analysed the situation. His face was apologetic, as though he had anticipated her reaction. He was clearly waiting for her to calm down, and she knew it was an ill-deserved luxury. She closed her eyes. She needed to think.

How was she supposed to calm down? She was indignant. Nobody told her that her new master was the Prince! She felt a flood of betrayal, embarrassment, and fear, all at once. Her rational mind knew it wasn't her place to interrogate her superiors and she wisely kept mouth glued shut, but the questions buzzed furiously in her mind.

Why hadn't they told her sooner but had waited until she disgraced herself (in front of the Prince, no less) by throwing an ice pack at, _oh my_, Motomiya Daisuke was probably his retainer, and an extraordinarily close one, at that. What were the consequences of attacking the Prince's retainer? _Off with my head?_ The thought filled her with fear. Her hands flew to her throat. Unshed tears burned under her eyelids. _What of my family? Would they be punished too?_

She selfishly took another minute for herself, holding her eyes shut until the tears dissipated. If it came to that, she knew she would go down fighting.

When she finally opened her eyes, he was still watching her. His eyes searched her face, but Hikari kept it carefully blank.

Hold on. The said Prince was the one who handed her that ice pack. And they started it. It all seemed so harmless. She'd always prided herself on her instincts and try as she might, she could not sense any malicious intent from the two.

And if he really meant to trick her, he would have waited until the right moment before launching it on her to get the biggest reaction. He wouldn't have told her as gently as he did. With this in mind, she took a few deep, even breaths.

Still. It wouldn't hurt to be on her guard, at least for the moment.

They were still watching her. Hikari composed herself and let her features fall into a courteous mask, deciding that for the moment, it was best to prevent any further crime resulting from her actions.

* * *

_**Takeru**_

When she spoke again, there was an obvious polite detachment. The message was clear. She would not be coerced again. "That would explain a lot, Your Highness," she said.

Takeru released the breath he hadn't realized he had been holding and smiled. "I guess it would," he said. That went a lot better than I thought it would, actually.

Beside him, Daisuke heaved his own sigh of relief and began an almost nonsensical ramble on about how they were sorry for withholding the truth and how they had been, in fact, waiting for the most opportune moment to tell her…

She listened patiently, her hands folded primly in her lap. Their conversation wasn't covering much ground. Especially since it was completely one-sided. Takeru knew she wasn't paying attention anymore after about 30 seconds of Daisuke's hyper-speed monologue.

Eventually, even Daisuke couldn't hold up the crushing weight of her indifference. He trailed off, and before the silence got too oppressive, Takeru ventured again, trying once more to crack her tough shell.

"Didn't you suspect?"

Hikari jolted at the sudden question. Careful not to let her mask slip, she responded.

"Suspect what, sir?" The 'sir' bothered him, but it was hardly the time for his comfort. It was hers that mattered.

"That we were royalty," he said, trying to let soak into his words as much contrition as possible while retaining a light-hearted approach . He was truly apologetic to have hurt her.

His efforts didn't touch her as much as he hoped, but he saw the tiniest fissure in her mask when confusion slipped into her red-brown eyes. When she didn't speak, he prodded again. "Only the royal family takes the carriage. It's a sort of tradition. Silly really, when we have cars to take us anywhere in a flash." Takeru smiled, willing for her to take him up on his conversation.

She hung her head to the side, and then in a small voice like a child's, said, "I... I didn't know. I did wonder, but I…" Her voice became almost minuscule, like she couldn't complete her thought. "I... haven't been outside like this before. I haven't seen much of the world." Her voice hitched and nearly broke, but Takeru could see the careful control she was trying to uphold.

Takeru was surprised by her sudden break. The topic had seemed completely innocent to him.

Then he realised, and cursed himself for bringing the subject so close to her breaking point. He could not have guessed at how little she knew, or what affected her most, but it was an absolute disaster that within the hour since they had been formally introduced, he'd already managed to almost-break her. From he had just witnessed, her captivity was something that she'd always recoiled from. How had she mourned for her loss of freedom, when there was never any freedom to lose?

She may not be the typical damsel-in-distress, but she was, in her own silent way, crying for help.

This had to be the worst first meeting ever.

Takeru looked around for anything to defer the conversation to before he realized that they were approaching the gates of the palace. His recent panic gave way to a smile. Perfect.

As the carriage drove up to the gates, Takeru pushed the heavy tasselled green curtains aside to nod a greeting to the palace guards. They quickly assembled neatly and took a deep bow. The sterling silver gates swung open. The soft clatter of horse hooves continued through the gates. Takeru caught Hikari's eye and gestured for her to look outside.

She turned obligingly to the window, and gave a small gasp of astonishment. He smiled, easily picturing his childhood home in her eyes. A white, paved path curved in the midst of two wide expanses of lush green grass. Bright clusters of coloured flowers were scattered everywhere. Trees stood stoically, seemingly apathetic to the myriad of colours around them, yet their branches hung heavy with ripe fruit. The soft sweet floral perfume that hung in the air washed over them as a gentle breeze caressed the surrounding flora.

Takeru reclined in his seat and slipped his hands behind his head. If she thought this was beautiful, the castle would be a grandiose travesty. He smiled in anticipation of her reaction to her first glimpse of the castle.

The carriage took the familiar sharp turn just before the interior entrance and Takeru sensed Daisuke's shift as he leaned forward with his feet planted on the floor and his elbows resting on his knees. He turned, and they shared a conspiring look. It was obvious that they were both waiting for her reaction.

They weren't disappointed. Hikari literally scampered to her feet before knocking her head on the ceiling of the carriage with a resounding _thwack_. The impact flopped her back into her seat and left her slightly dazed but unfazed. She pressed the heel of her palm against the bump on her head and rubbed it, wincing almost comically at the pain. Daisuke and Takeru burst out in laughter before quickly stifling it. She shot them a fierce glare, then quickly dropped her gaze when she realised it. Instead, she chose to slip the entire upper half of her body out of the window, cooling her flushed cheeks. Takeru noticed, carefully shielding her head with her hands as she did so.

Looking at Hikari's innocent face, and her wonderstruck eyes, Takeru realized the happy girl she had once been was still in there somewhere. Despite her best efforts, Hikari could not suppress her. It was her very nature to be full of Light. And it was Takeru's job to help bring her back.

The castle would have been a welcoming sight to anyone, but to someone who had never seen much of the world, it really was an exaggeration. Even without looking out of the window, Takeru recalled by heart the grey stone walls of the castle. Far from seeming cold and imposing, the castle seemed to give off an air of quiet majesty and welcome.

"Welcome to Aria Castle, Hikari," Takeru whispered.

The horses drove the carriage under a white arch and came to a stop at the entrance to the interior of the castle. A manservant came forward to pull the carriage door open soundlessly. As Takeru stepped out into the vestibule, servants lined up in two neat columns and bowed in greeting.

"Welcome back, Prince Takeru," they chorused.

He turned and extended a hand to Hikari to help her off the carriage. She hesitated for a moment before accepting the help and stepped out, her small duffel bag clutched tightly to her chest. He placed a hand on her shoulder to nudge her forward to his side, then gestured for a maid to come over. Daisuke stood silently behind them, keeping up his pretence of propriety.

"Yes, Your Highness?" the maid inquired, her tone clipped and respectful.

"Would you take Hikari-san to her room, please. See to it that she is comfortable in her new accommodations."

"Yes, Takeru-sama."

Hikari kept her arms firmly by her side, but she couldn't hide the lost-child look that had appeared on her face. Takeru patted her shoulder comfortingly, and ignored the small flinch that came with it. He flashed her what he hoped was a reassuring smile. He whispered, "Don't worry, no one is going to hurt you."

She seemed unconvinced. He added, "I'm the prince, remember? They're going to have to get through me first. We won't be far. I'll see you later."

Her red-brown eyes searched Takeru's before she finally nodded. He beckoned to the maid to come closer, and whispered something in her ear. She nodded in response and curtsied, leading a bewildered Hikari away.

Daisuke stepped up beside the prince, now shrugging his way out of his heavy formal jacket. "So what did you tell the maid?" he asked casually.

Takeru smiled.

"Nothing much."

* * *

**_Hikari_**

Hikari shuffled uneasily after the maid through unfamiliar corridors. The floors were spotless white marble, and Hikari stepped gingerly, afraid that her scruffy shoes would tarnish their shine.

Crystal chandeliers hung from the ceilings, and empty wall torches held places in the walls. There was no reason for the torches to be lit at this time of the day. The magnificent (and plentiful) intricately designed glass windows allowed the rooms to be saturated with light, an entity almost unheard of in the Centre. It was oddly refreshing, like a breath of cool air after a storm.

Hikari had never felt so alive. She soaked in the plethora of light, sucking in deep breaths and imagined that she could bring the light into her body that way. As absurd as the action was, Hikari had a feeling it almost worked. She was still missing something, something to pull the light in. This was enough for now. Her feet felt like they barely grazed the floor; she felt lighter than air. A spike of quicksilver energy fizzled in her veins.

She shook her head free of the ridiculous notion.

She assumed it was safe for her to talk to the maid. As it was, it looks like she would be given a position somewhat equal to hers. There was no reason to fear any repercussions. It was only the Citizens that the Pariah had to be afraid of. Always better a friend than an enemy.

Hoping to kick start a conversation, Hikari commented on her concerns regarding the floors. But she only smiled stiffly and reassured her that it would not be a problem, and continued her purposeful stride through corridor after corridor, passing door after door.

They turned a last corner, and finally stopped in front of a nondescript wooden door. The maid turned a key in the lock and pushed it open. She then stepped back respectfully and ushered her into the room.

The room was beautiful.

A huge four-poster bed layered with pale pink bedsheets was the most dominant feature of the room. The lilac silk surrounding the bed billowed lightly with each breath of wind. Silky-white curtains hung soft and creamy, framing large glass windows. The small bedside table, large wardrobe and armoire matched, made of the same light wood that reminded her of the Prince's carriage. A washbasin stood in the corner, partially hidden by a lilac curtain. Handfuls of water gems had been scattered strategically and artistically about the room in little white ceramic dishes. Where they lay, they cast a cool blue hue about the large room. The whole room was bright and airy. Hikari stood rooted to the spot, feeling small and helpless against the majesty of the room. She soaked in the quiet luxury with all her senses. It was just the kind of room she had always dreamed of.

Hikari turned back at the maid, and she understood her unspoken question empathetically without any exchange of words. She smiled kindly, a genuine and warm smile this time, and nodded.

Hikari kicked off her dirty shoes at the door and thread softly into the room, taking care to skirt the fluffy white carpet that covered much of the floor about the bed. This, all this, was mine?

"Yagami-sama."

Besides the maid who had led her here, three more maids now stood in the room, their dark knee-length dresses stark in the bright room. One of them seemed a little fidgety and uncomfortable. Familiar purple locks peeked out from under the small cap that she wore as part of her maid uniform.

"Miyako?" Hikari whispered tentatively.

The girl stopped pulling at her skirts and looked straight at her. Her questioning look immediately turned into one of disbelief. She threw her arms around Hikari and screamed. 'Startled' would be a mild term for the faces of the other maids in the room. The stern one who had been next to Miyako clicked her tongue disapprovingly.

"Hikari! How did you get here? I was so worried when the Headmaster took you away! Did they do anything to you?" she pulled back to look intently at the smaller girl, her lilac eyes searching her face for injuries. When Hikari shook her head, she pulled her back into her warm embrace.

"I thought we were coming here to help a guest of the Prince get washed up and dressed! Wait, is that guest you? My, my, what did you do to warrant the Prince's attention?"

Miyako paused. Thinking that her tirade was over, Hikari foolishly made to explain. Miyako could never be counted on to stop talking on her own when she was in Operation Interrogation mode. Besides, at the moment Hikari opened her mouth, she realized she had no words to describe her situation. She was just as confused and bewildered as anyone. Fortunately, Miyako continue to bombard her with questions, leaving no room for Hikari to respond anyway, until the stern-looking maid placed a hand on her shoulder.

Miyako stiffened immediately. Her hands to her sides and she dropped her eyes. The stern touch reminded her that they weren't alone. She took a quick step back and gave a clumsy curtsy. The stern maid took a low curtsey and said, "Yagami-sama. I apologise for this girl's impertinence. She is new and untrained. She means you no harm." Her voice was clipped, just like the other maid from before.

Hikari laughed. She'd known Miyako for most of her life, and the notion of her best friend now made to dress her made her feel even more disconnected from reality. She's been dressing herself for years! She couldn't imagine why she'd need help now. Her laughter was infectious. The maids, with the exception of the strict one, began to smile a little.

As surreal as the situation seemed, Hikari was glad to have Miyako here with her in the midst of all the unfamiliar and the incomprehensible. Her presence helped her to put all it into perspective.

The senior maid arched her brow, but thankfully didn't say a word.

The rest of the afternoon flew past in a whirlwind of scented soaps and soft satin. The maids pushed aside the lilac curtain next to the washbasin to reveal another wooden door; a glistening bathroom lay just beyond it. They ran a hot water bath and poured in gallons of sweet-smelling bubbles. They dumped pail after pail of water over Hikari's head, and washed her hair with even more scented bubbles.

They dabbed an awful-smelling ointment over the bump on her forehead. Hikari winced in pain, and idly, she wondered how they knew. An image of the Prince whispering to the maid came back to her, and with sudden epiphany, she realised that the Prince had told the maid then. Her cheeks flushed with embarrassment, which Miyako (thankfully) easily attributed to the steam, a luxury neither of them was used to. She kept up a comfortable ongoing chatter. That, combined with the healing warmth, chased the last of the chill from Hikari's tensed muscles. She visibly relaxed.

When she had been washed and sluiced and dried and moisturized to satisfaction, the maids opened the huge wardrobe and laid out dress after dress on the pink bedsheets for Hikari to choose from. She was bewildered and just stared at the yards and yards of smooth material, lace and bows. She didn't realize that everyone was still waiting for her decision until Miyako nudged her towards a blue gown that, she realized with a start, matched the Prince's eyes exactly.

Warmth rushed to her cheeks for the umpteenth time that day and set them aflame. _Why did I suddenly think of him?_

Fortunately, her reaction went unnoticed as she managed a slight nod, sending the maids into a flurry of motion. As they set about the tedious task of lacing her into the gown, she finally understood the need for dressing assistance.

When they had finished, they sat her in front of the armoire while a maid tugged a hairbrush gently through her short hair. The gown fell silkily about her body and flowed on till it graced the floor. The loose sleeves fell to her elbows. The soft blue material was embroidered with small subtle silver flowers at the hem that become incandescent when the light touched it. Hikari savoured the delicious feel of the silk dress against her skin. It was beautiful, too beautiful for the likes of her, she thought. _A gown fit for a princess._

The maid set the hairbrush on the armoire.

The girl in the mirror was unrecognizable. Her ivory skin was complemented by the dark lashes that framed her eyes, and her strawberry pink lips were subtly glossed. Her dark brown hair was adorned by the same small silver flowers that adorned her gown. If not for the mix of anxiety, amazement and sadness that the face held, Hikari would not have believed that the lovely girl in the mirror was her.

"Excuse me, Yagami-sama," a male servant had suddenly appeared at the door. "The dinner bell has sounded. Dinner will begin in half an hour. Please be ready."

* * *

_**Hikari**_

"But you don't understand, I have to bring it!" Hikari said, clutching her prized sword to her chest, refusing to relinquish it to the maid who had given up on cajoling her with words and was currently trying to wrestle it from her tight grip.

The maid argued, real emotion finally breaking through on her face. "Hikari-sama, you cannot! It is a crime to bring a sword to the royal dining table! Especially since you are about to dine with Prince Takeru!"

Hikari startled at her words, and hesitated. She didn't know of rules like these, and had certainly never been in a situation where she needed to know the etiquette for fine dining. Maybe she was right…

_No. I'd rather be punished._

"But what if a flying ninja crashes into the dining hall to assassinate the Prince? Then I would have nothing to defend him with!" Hikari said, growing desperate. She never went anywhere without her sword, and she certainly didn't want to start now. How could she explain her line of duty to them?

A low chuckle sounded from the doorway. They all turned.

Daisuke was leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed in front of his chest and grinning. He had changed out of his dark blue suit and was now clad in a more casual-looking grey shirt and black jeans. "Hikari-chan," he said, addressing her directly, "if you want to bring that sword I really don't think Takeru will mind."

Hikari was doubtful. With these Citizens, who's to say when they'd strike you next? "Really?" She whispered.

Daisuke nodded. "But if we don't leave now he'll really get mad. I left him sitting alone in the dining hall. Our dear prince is going to be so lonely. Besides," he continued with a devilish smirk, "without you, he's been left completely open to attacks by flying ninjas!"

Hikari gave a small, nervous laugh. Secure in the knowledge that her sword would stay by her side, Hikari relaxed a little. She broke into a short half run to join Daisuke at the door. When he offered her his arm, she stared at it quizzically before he took her free arm and gently looped it around his preoffered arm. It seemed simple enough. Was it a chivalrous gesture? Hikari fiddled with her hair. _Why would chivalry apply to a Pariah like me?_

The huge ornate table that took up most of the room had but a sole occupant. Prince Takeru sat at the head of the table and was reading a small piece of parchment. Far from anger predicted by Daisuke, he was sitting cool and relaxed in his chair. Compared to the elaborate green coat that he had had on that afternoon, he was dressed in a much simpler outfit, more informal than Daisuke's even. He wore a white long-sleeved button down shirt open at the collar, paired with dark blue jeans. He looked much more casual and relaxed.

At the sound of their approach, he looked up and smiled, folding the parchment and tucking it in his pockets.

He got up and pulled out the chair at his right. Daisuke released Hikari's arm and walked over to the opposite side of the table, where another set of cutlery had been set. The long table was only set for three. Left to herself, Hikari had no inkling of what to do next.

Prince Takeru seemed to understand. "Here," he said, letting go of the chair he had been holding and placed a hand on Hikari's back to steer her forward. With the sudden proximity, she could see beads of water in his hair from a recent shower and smell the clean scent of soap on him. With a gentle push down on her shoulder, he sat her down in the chair. When she stole a peek at him, he caught it, and smiled.

_Oh_.

Prince Takeru sat down. Clapping his hands, he summoned a whole bevy of servants that appeared out of nowhere and began to serve up steaming dishes of food. Takeru smiled as the girl in front of him sat marvelling at the spread of exquisite cuisine. Hikari heard a pair of laughing voices that had, oddly enough, she thought with a jolt, become rather familiar to her. While they were obviously a direct effect of her actions, she could hear no malice from it, so just took it in her stead.

She stared blankly at the plethora of cutlery was laid out. She had absolutely no idea which to use, and for what. It hadn't been a part of her training. Why would it be?

"Ah... Hikari-san?" Hikari looked up. The Prince was smiling. "Just pick whichever you are most comfortable with. It's just an informal dinner. In the future I'll have someone teach you."

_Teach me? Was there more fine dining in the future? Was I to be a public figure too? _Hikari didn't enjoy being in the spotlight. It didn't spell anything but trouble.

He reproduced the parchment from earlier from his pocket. "This is the contract from this afternoon's negotiation with the Headmaster from the Centre. It places you as a staff of the Royal Palace." He paused. "You are Attached to me. It states here that you are bound to perform your Pariah duties as my protector." Hikari nodded. Nothing she hadn't already guessed.

The Prince continued, "However, I'm _completely_ adverse to the idea of you risking your life for mine. So I'd just like you to know that I really don't expect you to do anything of the sort. On my part, I promise to lower this 'risk' any way I can," he thought for a moment, then added, "within reason." A concession to the Contract? She cocked her head to the side. _Not protecting my master?_ Hikari didn't understand, but the Prince was waiting for her response, his blue eyes boring into hers. She nodded.

"So if everything is in order I'll need you to sign here." he said, handing her a pen. Hikari took the pen with shaking hands. The signing was pretty much just symbolic; the only two signatures that mattered had long dried on the parchment. Hikari wrote her name (the only words she knew) on the dotted line that he'd indicated earlier. She glanced at the document. The Prince's scrawled cursive and the Headmaster's neat, sensible scribble.

That was it. Her life tied with someone else's, whether she liked it or not.

The Prince studied her careful poker face or a moment before he continued. "You will have to learn to read and write, at least a little. And you'll have to learn some basic court courtesies. I cannot make any concessions on these. See, being royalty, people expect our close attendants to be presentable and be counted on to observe decorum even in the face of adversity. For some of them," he winked cheekily at her. "It may be the only thing they have."

Hikari couldn't help a small giggle. With that joke, she felt that they were on the same side for a moment. His words may have seemed arrogant, but the Prince's tone was apologetic and sincere. She nodded again.

Taking the pen and parchment back from Hikari, he smiled. "Sorry to have to do this during dinner, but I am due to send this contract back to the Centre to be archived."

Waving his hand, the Prince summoned a manservant, and bade him to deliver the contract to the Centre.

Daisuke interrupted. "Takeru, weren't you supposed to make a copy of that?"

The Prince shrugged. "I don't think it matters, does it?"

"I suppose," Daisuke conceded, returning to his food.

"Didn't think so. Hikari-san, please, eat. There's plenty of food, please eat to your heart's fill."

"Yes, Your Highness." Hikari's voice sounded thin and rough. She gingerly picked up a tall flute of honey-coloured liquid by its long stem and took a sip. She'd easily assumed that it was sweet but she hadn't expected it to be refreshing as well. She took a bigger gulp to loosen her tight throat.

"Please call me Takeru. There's nobody else here," he paused. "However, propriety does dictate that one should have a more... Respectful salutation for the prince. So in public, you can call me Takeru-sama. Just like Daisuke." Once again, his tone was highly apologetic.

Daisuke was stuffing himself with food, but raised a thumbs-up in response. Hikari was unconvinced. Her mind was growing fuzzy. A cordial relationship with her master was the best she had reason to hope for. Try as she might, she couldn't bring herself to address him without salutation.

Like Daisuke, he said. But Daisuke wasn't like her. His subservient position wasn't cemented from birth like hers. Addressing her master by his given name would be almost sacrilegious. It would just about reduce his status to ground zero. To be the same as her.

Her expression must have given her away, because the Prince, who had been watching her intently, spoke. "Daisuke, show her."

Daisuke swallowed a mouthful of food and unbuttoned his shirt cuff. With his spoon still hanging from his mouth, he rolled up his sleeve to his elbow before reached his arm out to Hikari, the underside of his wrist facing up.

A smudge covered a small spot on his wrist. A closer look revealed that it was a small circle with tiny horn-like structures at its sides twisted in opposite directions.

Hikari looked up from the mark to Daisuke, then at the Prince, then back at Daisuke again.

Daisuke was Pariah...? So he was Attached to the Prince? But a single Citizen could only have one Pariah, even if the Citizen was royalty...

_What was going on?_

* * *

_**Takeru**_

In her life as a Pariah, she had probably been taught not to over-familiarise herself with her master. From what Takeru knew, Pariah had to maintain a respectable distance, both physically and emotionally, from their masters. He and Daisuke had discussed it before. Their easy conclusion? The only way to get her to open up to them was to let her become comfortable with them. They decided that the easiest way to do that was let her understand them more.

_...and so that was why she was looking at us like we had just destroyed her universe and everything she'd ever believed in,_ he thought dryly.

Takeru began what he knew would be a long and difficult conversation. "Daisuke is an Exception. He is attached to me because his mother used to be Attached to my mother. When I was seven, my mother passed on from a long-drawn bout of illness that no physician could find a cure for." Takeru cleared his throat. "On my mother's deathbed, she requested for Daisuke's mother to take me under her wing, to take care of me for her. Daisuke's mother agreed to, until..."

Daisuke continued, "Until she was killed by an assassin. We still don't know who did it. He left us no clue. He knew what he was doing. It was a really difficult time for me. So, Takeru here, us being childhood playmates and everything, took me in as his right hand man."

Takeru reached out a hand and patted Daisuke's shoulder. He looked up from his glass of honey wine and just shrugged.

Takeru shifted to Hikari. "So you see there's not really any difference now and then. We're still best friends. It's just that it may be difficult for the public to accept that because they're ..."

"A bunch of conceited and stubborn fuddy-duddies?" she suggested. Her eyes glistened. Her candid answer surprised Takeru, but affected Takeru more was his desire to reach out and wipe the sadness from her face. But knowing that that would overstep her comfort zone, not to mention lead her to withdraw back further into her shell, he kept his hands where they were.

Instead, he smiled, and agreed. "Yes, a bunch of conceited and stubborn fuddy-duddies."

She rubbed the back of her hand across her eyes and picked up her wine glass. She turned it slightly in her hands and watched the last of the honey liquid swirl in response for a moment before finally saying, "So what you are saying is, despite all your social superiority, you'd like us to be friends."

Her bluntness stunned him. He shifted nervously. "Yes...?"

She pondered for a long second, her eyes never leaving the gold liquid. The wine reflected gold flecks into her dark ruby eyes. "Okay", she said quietly.

Daisuke and Takeru exchanged a look. They hadn't expected that she would agree quite so easily. Her animosity had clean melted away. It wasn't as though she had a choice though, Takeru mused. A more amiable relationship would benefit everybody. In the unlikely scenario that she declined, Daisuke and Takeru would probably pester her until she agreed. There would be no end to it.

Her wineglass was empty. A server moved to refill it but Takeru waved him away. He stared at the empty glass and decided that she should have had quite enough.

She locked her eyes with his. Warmth seeped to his face, and he was starstruck by her transformation. This afternoon, she'd been a raw diamond dressed in ashes. When she'd walked in earlier, she was the very picture of elegance in blue and silver.

Two pink spots dotted her cheeks, and her eyes were slightly glazed, but Takeru felt like they pierced through his mind, revealing all that he hadn't told her.

His eyes dropped guiltily, and fell to the empty wine glass that she still held tightly with both hands. Suddenly, her easy acquiescence and strange demeanour clicked. Was she drunk? But the alcohol content of honey wine was easily the lowest amongst drinks. Even children were allowed the occasional honey wine. And she'd only had that one glass... Takeru followed her vacant gaze to the glass wine pitcher, standing nearly half-emptied.

Takeru slapped his hand to his forehead in exasperation. Of course she was drunk! He threw an accusatory look at their server, who did a double take. "How many glasses has she had?"

"Four, sir."

_Woah_. That explained things. She probably hadn't even known that it was wine in her glass. Unlike other drinks, honey wine didn't have the distinctive bitter taste of alcohol.

They left Daisuke at the table to finish dinner. He waved cheerfully before digging into a piping hot chicken dish, unaffected by her ailment. He'd just shrugged and said she would just sleep it off. Takeru shook his head, trying to shake off the sudden anger welling within. She was no one's responsibility but his, so really, there was no one to blame but himself. He hadn't noticed the server refilling her glass, and neither the server nor Hikari would've known any better. He should've warned them both.

As Takeru took her back to her room, her tread was shaky but still directionally accurate. She seemed to still have some semblance of control over herself. Just in case though, Takeru kept his arm wound tightly around her as they walked.

She was so thin. Takeru's arm circled her easily. He didn't like her pale pallor and paper-thin physique, but he was reassured in the knowledge that time and proper care would fix it.

The prone girl in his arms jerked to a stop. With renewed strength, she struggled against him until he released her, and with slow, deliberate steps, walked closer to one of the wall torches that adorned the walls at regular intervals, lighting the corridor with their soft orange glow. Before Takeru could utter a word, she'd taken the torch out of its socket and removed the fire gem from where it was placed within. She slunk down against the side of the wall and sat down quietly on the floor, her crumpled blue skirts spread around her.

She cradled the palm-sized stone tenderly in her hands, and was gazing into the light with a far-off look in her eyes.

Takeru crouched down next to her. "Hikari-san? Are you okay?" When she didn't respond, he shook her shoulder lightly. After an eternity, she raised her blank amber eyes to look up at Takeru, then back at the orange glow. Just as Takeru was beginning to think that there may be something very wrong with her, she held the stone out to him.

"Pretty," she whispered.

For a moment, Takeru was completely caught off-guard. "Wh-What?"

"Pretty." she repeated, her glazed eyes still fixed on his, as though willing for him to understand. She seemed to be in some kind of trance. Even as he watched, the fire gem in her hands began to shine more magnificently than before; more intensely than before, as with all the other torches that hung in crevices in the walls. "Pretty," she said again

Takeru understood. _A connection._

Takeru settled himself against the wall next to her. Rather than to focus on the amber stone, now rather glaring in its glow (though it didn't affect the transfixed girl), Takeru unwittingly turned his attention to the way the orange light was cast on the girl in front of his. It highlighted her porcelain skin and chocolate brown hair. It cast shadows on her features and brought out red in her eyes. Her eyes were downcast, shaded by thick lashes. It was as though time had stopped and this moment belonged only to them. Transfixed, he smiled. Looking at Hikari, he replied, "Yes, she's beautiful."

She turned to him with a smile, delighted that he agreed with her, before her eyelids fluttered shut and she fell limp. The stone returned to its soft luminosity and tumbled with a soft clatter out of her hands. Takeru caught her just before she hit the hard floor. He scooped her into his arms and made sure she was secure before he stood up. She didn't stir. Her face was clear and serene, and her mouth fell open slightly.

_The Child of Light had forged a connection with her element tonight, and no one bore witness to it but me. _

That knowledge made Takeru smile. After all these years, he'd finally found her. She may never know how great his joy and relief at finding her, but Takeru didn't mind. He was simply glad that she was reassuringly solid and safe in his arms.

As he continued down their original route to her room, she shifted closer to his and buried her face in his shirt. Takeru smiled, a happy warmth in his heart.

He left her to the maids in her room. They would see to it that she would be changed into something more comfortable and put properly into a warm, soft bed. He felt it was the least he could offer her, after her lifetime of mistaken sufferings.

After the door closed behind the image of bustling maids, Takeru leaned casually against the wall outside her room and rolled up his left sleeve. A small symbol resembling a sun and pouring light was etched on his inner wrist. He noted a faint tingling, probably in reaction to her proximity. He held it to his chest and smiled. This was the second time that he felt that it was anything but a relentless attention-seeker, and both times, it had been because of her.


End file.
